Race to Replace Boyland Jr. Officially Grows

The race for Assemblyman William Boyland Jr.’s seat got a bit more crowded last week when Anthony Jones filed a committee for the campaign. Mr. Boyland’s political future is currently very much in doubt as he’s infamously facing his second set of federal corruption charges.

Mr. Jones, who has worked on a host of other campaigns in Central Brooklyn, said he’s been plotting a run for office ever since he was a teenager. He describes himself as “a kid who was involved in all types of bad things when he was 14, put up in a lock-up facility, and turned his life around.”

Stating he was “fully committed” to the race in an interview with The Politicker last night, the candidate additionally said his campaign for this specific seat began long before Mr. Boyland’s legal troubles became apparent. “I didn’t just jump out there. I’ve been campaigning since June of 2010,” he explained, adding that he wanted to reach out to the community before formally announcing his campaign.

Despite the shadow of Mr. Boyland’s corruption trial looming large over the race, Mr. Jones indicated a lack of interest in the incumbent’s woes.

“I’m not really interested in what Boyland is doing, or hasn’t done. My focus isn’t Junior Boyland,” he said. “The community is in need of some different type of leadership to take us in a different direction. I think Boyland has done all that he can do. The people right now want change.”

Mr. Jones joins a field not only occupied by Assemblyman Boyland, but many others as well. However, only one other candidate, community activist Tony Herbert, also has a committee open for the seat, a necessary step for candidates to begin raising money. Mr. Herbert, who has run for several other offices before, is often quoted in the media criticizing Mr. Boyland’s corruption allegations as damaging to the local community.

Mr. Jones was more than supportive of the plethora of other potential candidates indicating interest in the race. “Anthony Jones … welcomes every single person who wants to run for the 55th Assembly District. I would never try and tell anybody not to run. Anthony Jones is not a dream killer. Run, run, run! Everybody has my support.”